When I joined the Design Team for the Challenge YOUrself Scrapbook Challenge blog, I was excited and inspired to see the sketches and the challenges that Sharon Fritchman had created for us for the coming year.
I was so inspired by a link she shared to Ali Edwards One Little Word® blog that I have actually spent the last month reading and taking classes to do this inspiring challenge for 2020. The basic idea is to select a word that inspires and motivates you that you can focus on throughout the year. It helps you reflect on yourself and your life during the year.
I had taken a truly inspiring workshop on my last teacher conference day in November taught by one of my colleagues on mindfulness and meditation. It so helped me focus and relax during the last 6 weeks as I was trying to do all of the things I needed to keep doing for my students while also dealing with the emotions and preparations I needed to make as I was approaching the date for retirement. I realized then that I needed more mindfulness and focus in the coming year.
I created a huge list of words that I found inspiring and I had settled on using the word “Create”. I had even created a list of all the inspiring ways that I could focus on this word throughout the coming year. Honestly, I created a whole new business around the word!
At the last minute, I changed my mind. Create is an inspiring word for me. Just not at this moment in my life. I live my life as creatively as possible every single day.
My word is “Journey”. It always has been. That was my word in high school, all throughout college, as I got married, as I started my first career, went to grad school, then as I started my second career, as I raised children, and now as I retire and start the latest chapter in my journey.
I created this from a photo I took in December. You can download and print a PDF version here for a little inspiration in your workspace this year:kim skinner journey
For my birthday my senior year of college one of my uncles gave me a plaque with this saying on it. I believe this is a Chinese Proverb and it has guided me for as long as I can remember.
Shortly after receiving the plaque, I found a card with a backpacker in the woods on a hike that said, “I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m on my way”.
I have always loved that as well. Every moment that I was embarking on a new adventure or a new chapter in my life has brought these two quotes to my mind.
So my word for 2020 will be “Journey”.
I am absolutely embarking on a whole new journey as I move forward into 2020.
I’ve retired from a wonderful and successful career and my husband will be retiring at the end of next week! Our little cottage in Florida should be completed in the next week (I hope!), and we are packing the POD this weekend to move what we need to Florida. I’m not going to lie…that POD is filled with fishing stuff and craft stuff. We’ll add our bikes and some clothes and send it on its way. I hope we see it again around mid-month. I’m very excited about setting up my new little craft room.
I found a fantastic armoire on Facebook Marketplace for $150 that is full of shelves and drawers. That will serve as my craft space in the spare room. I got a nice comfy futon that will serve as a nice reading spot and a comfy guest bed…although, not too comfy! I just need a table and a chair to work on.
How awesome is this?! It’s solid and heavy. I hope we will be able to maneuver it into my craft space when we get it there. Check out the side cabinets inside:
See how easily distracted I get? I was talking about the new chapter of the journey ahead of me and I got totally distracted by picturing my craft supplies organized perfectly on these shelves and drawers!
One part of my new chapter will include having time to get back to making my YouTube videos and posting every day like I used to.
I’m also going to be focusing on health and wellness. I will be sharing that on a new blog or a new blog page as well. Stress does very harmful things to our bodies and I’m ready to destress and live in the moment. I am looking forward to having time for my walks, my bike rides, for yoga and meditation, and for doing nothing at all sometimes!
Seriously…when was the last time you did nothing at all?!
I’m also looking forward to creating online classes and a video series or two for the year…I’ve got plans. I’ve been taking classes and practicing new skills just so I can share some new crafting and creative things with you.
Plus, I will be setting up a new home with my husband. While we will be empty nesters, the picture of the bird above is from our trip to see the house progress in December that was next to the canal in front of our house. So empty nesters, but with lots of new tropical birds to enjoy from the porch!
I will share more projects with my Word of the Year in the coming days.
In the meantime, I’m going to do some more reading about it and spend some moments of each day in quiet contemplation. You can check out the link to Ali Edwards blog and shop above. I have no affiliation with her. I found it inspiring and very motivational. I thought you might enjoy it as well.
And yes…I bought some of her goodies and a couple of her classes to add to my journaling stash. I can’t wait to share my new creations with you.
Thank you for being a part of my journey!
Onward!
